Wrekin Housing Trust on awards shortlist

Tuesday 1st March 2011, 4:37PM GMT.

A carbon monoxide sensor unit beside a gas boiler control panel. Image: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

The Wrekin Housing Trust in Telford has been shortlisted for an industry award for its Carbon Monoxide Awareness Campaign.

The trust is a finalist in the H&V News Awards’ Safety Initiative of the Year category. Judges said the shortlist was really strong.

The winner’s will be announced at an awards ceremony on April 19 in London. The trust warns of the dangers of carbon monoxide every winter when people start turning on their heating systems. A silent killer, carbon monoxide poisoning claims around 30 lives each year.

In 2011 the trust worked with partners Vaillant to spread the message about carbon monoxide checks across Shropshire via the press and radio.

Fleur Whittingham, gas category manager, said: “At the trust we carry out annual checks with letters automatically sent to residents informing them when an engineer will visit them.

“It’s really important there is someone at home to let the engineer in at the appointed time. However, many private homeowners simply don’t get their appliances checked or think its only old gas fires that could be at risk.”

In fact gas, coal, oil and wood are all producers of carbon monoxide and all fuel-burning appliances should be safety checked annually by a professional.

View more: Telford news, Wrekin news.